The level to which the game was reviewed

There are 26 templates and one blank canvas, and seven images were created using both templates and the the blank canvas.

App description

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Creative Play app is part of a suite of apps based on the children’s book written by EricCarle. Players can use cutting, paint brush and pencil tools to create their own artwork or use the templates within the app.

Reviewers comments

This art app allows kids to select either a blank canvas or trace around a variety of templates, including Christmas themes and images based on EricCarle’s books. Fine motor control is required to tap on and select either a template or blank canvas, scroll through and tap different coloured paper backgrounds and use a forefinger to trace the shape the player wants to cut out of the coloured paper. Paintbrush and pencil tools are also available to make marks on the artwork and the final artwork can be saved to a gallery on the device camera roll. Gentle music is audible throughout play and this can be muted by tapping on the musical note.

Younger children may require parental guidance to trace the shapes used in this app, particularly if they use the templates, which may be harder to master than free form “cutting”. There is an opportunity to develop the player’s pencil grip by using a stylus instead of a forefinger in this app, an important developmental transition for children. Any errors in cutting can be dragged to either the bottom right or left of the screen, where a green bin appears to delete the paper.

The cutting tool requires marking an enclosed shape and a pulsing circle appears around the end of a line to show the player where the shape is incomplete and must be finished to “cut” the paper. Younger children may require help mastering this concept of shape completion. Parents can also discuss positive and negative shapes, as players must “cut” around the shape to avoid obscuring the template image. Children must also use paper to fill the template shapes or trace around them using the marking tools, as the dotted image disappears in the saved gallery image. Completed artwork can be saved both to the app gallery and the device camera roll. An animated caterpillar views the created image in a gallery and this character moves when tapped.

In App purchasing

Additional apps by the same developer can be accessed in the templates section under “more from Storytoys”. To access these apps, the player is provided with the instruction that they must swipe in a particular direction with two fingers anywhere on the screen. This is relatively easy to overcome as the player may accidentally swipe in the right direction to close this pop-up and return to the game. Swiping correctly takes the player to the app store to make a purchase. It is recommended that in app purchasing is disabled in the game, to prevent this occurring.

Online information

Photo/Media/files

Camera

Gambling

At time of review, the reviewer found no simulated gambling content. If you discover simulated gambling content in this app, please contact us with the details so we can update our review.

Advertising and product placement

Other apps by the same developer can be accessed in the templates section, which displays a static advert of the app, accessible by swiping in the direction required by a changing popup message. This feature can be disabled in the “Settings: Restrictions” section of your device.

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Date added:

About our colour guide

Some content may not be appropriate for children this age. Parental guidance recommended

Content is not age appropriate for children this age

Gambling content advice

Simulated casino style gambling. Not suitable for minors

Contains some elements of gambling. Some content is not recommended for minors. Parental guidance recommended

No gambling content found in the levels played

About games and gambling

Most games contain elements of risk, chance and knowledge, that is why they are fun to play. There is growing concern about the impacts of simulated gambling games on the health and wellbeing of children. That's why we are identifying games that contain gambling elements on our site.

The State Government of South Australia's web site http://nogame.com.au/ contains information about these concerns.